That's why we’re making a significant change: we have abandoned traditional social media posting for the sake of less social media buzz and mess. We believe it’s time for a more mindful approach, for us and for you.
Social media FOMO destroys our communities
For too long, the social media world has been dominated by FOMO – the Fear of Missing Out. This isn't just a trendy term; it's "a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent," characterised by a desire to stay continually connected. It’s an emotion that social media platforms have effectively used, not just to lure users, but to compel persistent visits throughout the day, often at the cost of other commitments.
The statistics paint a clear picture of its widespread impact:
- A survey by Eventbrite in 2014 found that about 69% of millennials experience FOMO, which frequently leads them to make quick decisions.
- By 2013, 56% of all social media users in the United States experienced FOMO, with similar high percentages observed globally, including 59% of Polish 15- to 19-year-olds in 2021 and 67% of Italian social media users in 2017.
- About 51% of people visit or log on more frequently to social networks than they did just two years ago.
Cycle of dissatisfaction, missing opportunities for satisfaction
This constant pressure to stay online stems from deeply rooted psychosocial needs, like the need to belong and the tendency for self-comparison. Social media often encourages users to portray seemingly "perfect" lives, leading to a constant feeling of overload and dissatisfaction to anyone observing those perfect posts.
This creates a vicious cycle: anxiety about missing out prompts creates more frequent social media stream checking, which in turn increases awareness of events being missed, further escalating anxiety.
Paradoxically, this continuous checking can cause users to miss out on real-life activities that would contribute to a heightened sense of satisfaction and belonging.
Disturbing effects of social media FOMO
The effects of FOMO are profound, contributing to distractibility, decline in productivity and academic performance, sleep disturbances, social anxiety, clinical depression, envy, jealousy, resentment, and even social media addiction. Indeed, research confirms a positive and reciprocal relationship between FOMO and social media use, where higher FOMO can lead to increased social media use, which then further amplifies FOMO.
Marketing: move from FOMO to JOMO
While we must acknowledge the power of digital platforms, we believe that not every message is important enough to be shared with the whole world, and it's not everyone's job to be a creator. We want to see the truly good artists and innovative content creators shine, rather than getting lost in the "redundant everyday 'what our team is eating' posts" that contribute to the overwhelming digital noise.
Instead, our marketing strategy will focus on what truly works: using advertising space with correct and creative ads or sponsorships, meaningful emails, product development, and service improvements. Marketing, in our view, should be primarily about informing and branding our products through strategic media placement and thorough research.
This shift is our commitment to JOMO – the Joy of Missing Out. JOMO is about finding happiness in unplugging from chaos, enjoying quiet time, and being content with one's own choices without feeling pressured to follow what everyone else is doing. It’s about deliberately paying attention to one's own needs, focusing on quality over quantity, and prioritizing the important people and activities in life.
JOMO: crafting genuine connection
At Kainoto, we want to foster genuine connection. This means we prefer to hang out with our clients live instead of on social networks. Or, even better, we want to give them more free time so they can enjoy life beyond the screen. We believe in promoting wellness and celebrating individuality by creating calm and simple experiences, allowing you to "take a break and enjoy the moment".
We are excited about this new direction and will continue developing activities ideas for JOMO that encourage real-world engagement and personal well-being.
Join us in embracing JOMO. Reach out, let's connect, and explore how we can bring more joy and less noise into your professional life.